Angry Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Family To Sue Simon Ekpa Over Defamation, Impersonation

By Charles Igbo

The spat between the family of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra,  (Worldwide) IPOB, and by extension, IPOB, and the self -proclaimed disciple of Kanu, Simon Ekpa, has escalated.

Angered by what it terms Ekpa’s unwholesome actions and utterances, the Kanu family has threatened to sue him.

To avoid a Court action against him, the Kanu family has given Ekpa, a 14-day ultimatum, beginning from the day he legally receives the warning letter to him, a couple of things he must immediately adhere to.

One of such things, the family demanded, in the letter to Ekpa, through their Counsel, Magnus Jonsson, is that Ekpa stops immediately, from identifying himself as a disciple of the IPOB Leader.

Ekpa, Finland-based, had been anonymous in the operations of IPOB, until Kanu’s rendition from Kenya to Nigeria by the Nigerian Government. A couple of days after that, Ekpa, like a volcano, happened on the scene, and introduced himself as Kanu’s disciple.

Most IPOB followers, from the way Ekpa identified himself, took him as a stand-in for Kanu, pending when the Nigerian Government’s case against him would be over, but that was soon debunked by the central leadership of IPOB – Directorate of Services, DOS, –  which accused Ekpa of refusing to adhere to IPOB’s rules and principles.

Since then, things have gradually never been the same between Ekpa and IPOB. There have been accusations and counter-accusations from both sides. And there have been orders and counter-orders too.

For instance, while IPOB insists it is a non-violent organisation, agitating for the freedom of the Igbo from Nigeria over marginalisation, it has accused Ekpa and his group which it identified as “Autopilots” of being responsible for the violence in Igboland, especially, recently, and responsible for people passing such violence off on IPOB, thus giving IPOB a bad name.

Again, while IPOB has cancelled the sit-at-home order imposed on Igboland, except on the days Kanu would appear in Court, Ekpa has continued to counter that, insisting on the weekly Monday sit-at-home order with its attendant violence against those who go contrary to it.

The Kanu family, with their son in the custody of the Federal Government, being prosecuted in Court for alleged treasonable felony and terrorism, is not comfortable with the alleged actions and utterances by Ekpa which people mistake as coming from IPOB, on the instructions of Nnamdi Kanu. The family has, therefore, asked Ekpa to desist from using Kanu’s name, or image, for his activities. Said the family which, also, disclaimed Ekpa as an IPOB member:

“You should forthwith cease and desist from using the name and image of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, either in your broadcasts or otherwise, for any material gain whatsoever including any fundraising.

“You should forthwith cease and desist from addressing yourself as a Disciple of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, either in the guise of you being a member of IPOB (which we are informed you are not) or in any other manner relating to Biafra agitation.”

The family also accused Ekpa of defaming members of the Kanu family, and warned him to stop immediately. “You should forthwith cease and desist from any further defamatory publications against any member of the Kanu family, whether such publications are personally uttered by you or by others that you invite to your social media networks.”

Following is the full text of the letter, to Ekpa, dated May 17, 2022.

“A DEMAND TO CEASE ÅND DESIST FROM USING THE NAME OF MAZI NNAMDI KANU

FOR MATERIAL GAIN, ETC”

Dear Mr Ekpa:

The Kanu family, both in Nigeria and in the diaspora, has retained undersigned to formally demand from you as follows:

“That you should forthwith cease and desist from using the name and image of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, either in your broadcasts or otherwise, for any material gain whatsoever including any fundraising.

That you should forthwith cease and desist from addressing yourself as a Disciple of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, either in the guise of you being a member of IPOB (which we are informed you are not) or in any other manner relating to Biafra agitation.

” That you should forthwith cease and desist from any further defamatory publications against any member of the Kanu family, whether such publications are personally uttered by you or by others that you invite to your social media networks.

That you are hereby given Fourteen (14) days from the confirmed receipt of this Legal Mail within which to comply with the demands in this letter.

“That your failure or refusal to comply with the demands herein will result in costly legal actions against you, including but not limited to the following:

(a) Direct criminal complaint against you to Finnish authorities and/or to any European country in which you are encountered.

“(b) Tortious and injunctive claims against you for the civil injuries enumerated above.

“( c) Petitions against you to the Finnish authorities that regulate legal practice such as you are currently applying in Finland.

“Finally, you are hereby warned that this Legal Mail constitutes a pre-action Notice that no further forma! warnings will be forthcoming to you before our commencement of the forgoing legal actions against you.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in the regards of the contents of this Legal Mail.”